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Friday, April 21, 2017

Celebrating the life of our members and community

The WOTM Chapter 1773 awarded the 2017 Community Service Scholarship to Chase Davis after choosing her essay from five essays received as part of an essay contest that was developed as a proactive approach on volunteerism. Donations and fundraisers held throughout the year raised $725 for the scholarship which was awarded during Citrus High Schools Senior Awards Night in May. This is her winning entry.

When I was 14-years-old a little girl from the Washington Heights apartment complex in Jacksonville, Florida wrapped her arms around my neck and said to me: “You’re my sister.” At that point we’d only known each other for about half an hour, and after that humid day in June spent volunteering at a church sponsored “block party” for her community, I never saw her again. However, anytime I hear the words “volunteer work” or “community service,” I see Jasmine holding her arms up to me and asking to go down the water slide.

At school, the concept of “community service” often seems to be branded a chore-like activity: show up, do what you’re told, and get your Bright Future sheet signed.

Hours are a necessity for anyone applying for a scholarship or admittance to the National Honor Society - so for many students, service is just an item to check off their “high school to-do list.” I include this in my essay in an attempt to paint an honest picture, and I will admit that there have been times I’ve grown frustrated when a service opportunity and fun event coincide on the same weekend - its a human reaction. However, I mention the “bad” so I can highlight the “good.”

When you encounter an individual or a group who genuinely desire to serve their community, you’ve discovered something more than gold. There’s nothing in the world more honest than working to benefit your neighbor with a sincere desire for nothing in return.

When you’re little and you play “store” or “shopkeeper” in Kindergarten, you use the class set of fake money to pay for plastic hamburgers and foam apples. You’re taught that when you give the shopkeeper money, you get something in return: “give and get.”

But volunteerism teaches something else: “give”. That’s it. It’s a simple but incredible concept. I spoke earlier of my experience volunteering at a block party in Jacksonville, FL.

I went into the experience with excitement, knowing I would have a good time and that I was likely to leave the apartment complex with that “warm and fuzzy” feeling you get after helping others. Instead, I left with a better understanding of the aforementioned concept: “give.”

I won’t pretend I’ve got a full grasp on it, I’m not Mother Theresa and I could be doing so much more - but it means something more to me. Volunteer work isn’t a pastime or a scholarship necessity - it’s an opportunity to impact another person. It’s an incredible chance to use something more valuable and scare than money - time - to make the world a better place than it was when you woke up that morning.

So many people choose to look at the world in such a negative light: they complain about how society has gone downhill and see nothing they can compliment.

Well I’ve got something to direct their attention to: teenagers wrapping Christmas gifts for families in need. Students scrubbing the floors at a nursery for low income families. Men and women volunteering at animal hospitals and shelters to take care of creatures who can’t always take care of themselves. Theatre students dressing up as zombies to raise money for kids at their high school who don;t have enough to eat over the weekends.

Sure, bad things happen in this world - but good things happen too, often under the name of “volunteerism.” All of the examples mentioned above are things that I have wit-nessed firsthand.

The art of exchanging one’s time to benefit others is perhaps often the most forgotten and overlooked expression of human love and kindness - and if I could I would shine a spotlight on it for all the world to see, I would. Not because I think volunteers do it for the glory, that’s not in the job description at all, but because I think everyone in the world would feel better if they took a dose of “service.”

Imagine the Mary Poppins classic reworded: “A spoonful of service helps the pessimism fizzle out.” It may be cheesy, but it’s true. Charitable work and donations of time often benefit the volunteer more than those they are working to serve. That statement is cliche and probably used all the time, but only because it’s true. I’ going for honesty, remember?

I’ve never felt better than I have in the moments I see my actions bring a smile to the face of another with no demand for compensation.

A lot of things in life are important to me, but if I wanted to condense them to a sentence, I could say this: my family, my friends, my faith, and my service. God’s put me on this Earth for a reason, I know that - and I feel as close as possible to that statement when I’m serving the people around me. I don’t say that to brag. I say it because it’s the truth.

Volunteerism and serving my community is a way for me to find purpose, joy and utilize the time I’ve been given in a way that matters. It provides me with the opportunities to positively impact the world around me by simply just being me. Most of all, it provides me with moments like the ones I spent holding Jasmine, listening to her whisper about her dream of becoming a police officer when perhaps no one else would lend an ear.

The WOTM Chapter 1773 Community Service Scholarship has been approved again for the 2017-2018 school year.

If you would like to contribute to the 2018 Community Service Scholarship, please make your donation check out to WOTM Chapter #1773, and earmark it in the memo line: “CS Scholarship.” Mail your donations to: WOTM Chapter #1773, P.O. Box 2653, Inverness, FL 34451-2653.

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Latest News

04/21/2017
Students benefit from Moose

Students benefit from Moose

Friday, April 21, 2017

KIMBERLY KELLYEDITOR, THE BELLOWS

As last year’s Community Service Chairperson, I searched for ways that our Lodge and Chapter could get better involved with our community.Everything we did tied into some corrolation with “seniors” (Moosehaven), and “students” (Mooseheart).

This included everything from food drives to supplies for those in need.One important aspect of our focus was on the future of young students in our community.

However, in addition to the new Community Service Scholarship, there are two ongoing ways our Lodge and Chapter impact the lives of students in our area.Every April, the WOTM Chapter 1773 present a medical scholarship to one individual who has entered school in the medical field.

This year, Claire DelRosso presented Alexis Duca with the annual WOTM Inverness Chapter 173 Medical Scholarship. Alexis will use the $500 scholarship to attend school for medical imaging.

For information on the WOTM Medical Scholarship please contact a member of the WOTM Chapter 1773 Board of Officers for details.

One of the most rewarding opportunity for students to receive financial assistance for higher education is through the Youth Awareness Program.According to the Moose International website, students are asked to create a Moose KidsTalks presentation by selecting a topic and developing a presentation around that topic. They are then asked to find opportunities, with the assistance of their sponsoring Moose Lodges and/or Women of the Moose Chapters, to speak to groups of 4 to 9 year-old children.

Each student is asked to present a minimum of three (3) Moose KidsTalks and complete written reports on their presentations and submit them to their respective Association Youth Awareness Coordinator.

The program creates highly effective speakers as well as youth leaders and mentors who, in a short timeframe, impact the lives of preschool and elementary school-aged children. The program spans the entire Moose fraternity.

The 2017 International Youth Awareness Congress was held in Kenosha, Wisconsin from April 27–May 1. Five scholarships totalling $30,000 were awarded at the conclusion of the International Congress.

Susan Jacobs is our local Youth Awareness coordinator and holds informational meetings about the program for students and their family throughout the year.Another great opportunity for students previsouly known as the “R. Robert Dale Scholarship” has changed to the “Heart of the Community Scholarship”. The scholarship reflects the fraternity’s commitment to supporting youth in the community.

Applicants must meet educational criteria as well as volunteer activities on behalf of the Loyal Order of the Moose.

For more details on the Youth Awareness program or Heart of the Community Scholarship log onto www.mooseintl.org.

04/21/2017
Fall Golf Tournament scheduled

Fall Golf Tournament scheduled

Friday, April 21, 2017

The Annual Fall Golf Tournament is scheduled for Saturday, October 14, 2017 at Citrus Hills The Oaks Course. Tee time is 8:30am. Cost to play is $50 per person. Beverages will be provided on the course, and lunch will be served at 1:30pm at the lodge.

Details for the event are still being put together and will be released as they are determined. Early sign up is encouraged. Deadline to signup is noon Saturday, Oct. 7.

04/21/2017
District 14 pins available

District 14 pins available

Friday, April 21, 2017

The new District 14 pins are in and will be sold for $4 during district meetings. The next two District 14 meetings will held May 21 (Crystal River #2013), and June 18 (Golden Triangle #874).

The new district officers do not change till September 18. Anyone interested in becoming a District officer should contact Fred Csaszar for more information on positions that are available.

03/10/2017
Inverness Moose Lodge 2112 now part of District 14

Inverness Moose Lodge 2112 now part of District 14

Friday, March 10, 2017

As some members might or might not know, District #28 recently changed numbers on September 12, 2016 and is now District #14

The district is now comprised of Crystal River, Inverness, Lake Panasoffkee, Leesburg, and Golden Triangle.

Golden Triangle is located in Eustis and is the fifth lodge in the district.

According to District #14 President Fred Csaszar, each meeting includes discussions on what is new in the Florida Bermuda Moose Association (FBMA) and what functions are happening at the other lodges. There is also the opportunity to play bingo, get in on raffles and 50/50. After the meeting, the host lodge usually prepares some type of lunch.

Once a month our District Meeting is at a different lodge, rotating from one to the other each month, The meetings dates and times are posted at the lodge and in our newsletter.

The meetings begin at 1:00 pm and are usually less than one hour long. Members have the opportunity to meet individuals from other lodges and see what each lodge has in common, and gives each an opportunity to develop new ideas to take back to their respective lodges and well as have a great time to together.

Meeting Rotation March 19 Leesburg April 23 Inverness May 21 Crystal River June 18 Golden Triangle July 16 Lake Panasoffkee August 20 Leesburg September 10 Inverness

We are still looking for members who would like to join the Board of Officers. The offices include Governor, Junior Governor, and Prelate. If any active member wishes to run for office you must complete an Intent Form available in the office.

Please keep your address and phone number current. Paying dues online is the fastest and easiest way. The office will help you in paying your dues.

Governor's Message

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Hello, from Ireland

Hello everyone!

I am writing this letter from my newly renovated office in Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, Ireland. I hope that all are well and that all is in order.

I have been keeping track of the goings on at the lodge via facebook and I am happy to see that several of our members have posted photos of the events. It looks like a good time was had by all on the St. Johns River trip, We wish we could have been on that one.

Don’t forget…If anyone would like to contact me, you may do so at fmdoke@yahoo.com. Otherwise, we will see you in Inverness at the lodge in late August.

Senior Regent's Message

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Come enjoy our dinners

Hello everyone. Wishing you all a great summer. Our snowbirds have gone and we need all our fellow members to come and enjoy dinner and support our Moose.

Our chairmen are doing a great job with dinners and that’s why we all need to work together in volunteering for events, so we can make a positive impact.

I have looked forward the Moose International Convention in Tampa where, on July 1, two of our very special members Anna Walker and Kimberly Kelly received their College of Regents.

Recorder's Message

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Menus and activities keep our Chapter busy

I am happy all of our chairman are busy working on their dinner menus and activities. There will be a game night at the first meeting in July.

All recorder banking is in balance and that’s great. I will keep everyone posted as we go,